I rarely do a weekend blog post, but today I wanted to give a BIG shout-out to all the wonderful mothers who touch so many lives each and every day! Happy Mother’s Day! I pray you’re smothered with kisses, gathered in hugs, and blessed beyond measure! To you, dear Mamas, I dedicate these brief thoughts: You are loved. No one …
I’ve noticed a theme in some of my favorite blogging circles. Energy lag. Exhaustion. Burnout. For writers especially, this seems to be the time of year where our resolve wears thin. Maybe we’ve had some let-downs. Perhaps, we’ve faced rejections, rewrites, and restructured goals. Maybe we wonder if it’s all still worth it—if this thing called “success” is really worth …
This past weekend, our family kicked off the spring season with our annual trek to Silver Dollar City. SDC is a Christian-owned and operated family theme park in the beautiful Missouri Ozarks and it’s all about fun, family, food, and fellowship in a Christ-centered setting. It’s a little slice of heaven and one of my favorite places where time stands …
Happy Friday! As another busy week draws to a close, I wanted to revisit a favorite topic–JOY! It’s a subject that’s near and dear to my heart because joy is something I think we’re sorely lacking in day-to-day life.* No, we’re not always going to feel at the top of our game. There will be days of indecision and times …
I thought about apple trees this week. Not because apples are my kitchen theme, but because of some things that made me think. I found this wonderful quote by the great—and somewhat controversial—theologian, Martin Luther . I pondered it. I dissected what I thought it meant, or at least what it meant to me. For me, Luther’s quote applies to …
Yay! It’s Monday! Time to shine a light for Jesus! I’m sure you bounced out of bed just like I did. (Well… actually, it was more like a gentle thud of my feet hitting the floor in Tigger-like fashion. Not quite a bounce, but it’s the thought, right?) My spirit says go while my body says just five more minutes …
Happy Friday! I hope you’ve had a bright, productive week—one that’s spurred your creative juices and nudged you past your comfort zone. Since I’m in writing mode today, I’ll keep this short. I wanted to share some thoughts with you about being different. Not weird different. Different as in beautiful, talented, and sensitive. The kind of different that folks may …
Sometimes, I may sound like a broken record. (If I do, please extend grace.) Since I’ve blogged for about three years now, I’ve covered multiple subjects from A to Z. Unless I glance back through pages of posts, it’s hard to remember everything I’ve shared. I’ve focused on slice-of-life vignettes, nostalgia, and life in the Ozarks. I’ve talked some about …
I knew an acquaintance who was rough around the edges. She lacked social graces and wasn’t adept at making or keeping friends. Often, I wanted to put my hands on her shoulders, look her dead in the eye, and just say Stop pushing people away. You have potential. You’re worth it! Cassie* had a difficult life and after college I …
Holy Week is a poignant time of reflection. For Christians, the week preceding Easter Sunday symbolizes tragedy and triumph. The worst and the best. It’s that bittersweet time when hope transcends sorrow and humanity is brought to its knees in recognition of God’s greatest gift: His son. We plan family gatherings, meals, and sunrise services. We pray and we fast …
